Post navigation

Bogalusa 2, LA

Don’t be such a wuss, Marilyn. This is the maximum size in the room. Most are just the half-inch size.I used my sleeping bag strap to suspend my food like a bear bag, to make it harder for roaches to find.

I’m still glad for my room, and would choose it again. For $40 a night, I’m willing to tolerate the occasional roach. The room at Amite was immaculate, but would have been $133 were it not discounted to $107.

Google found Memorial Baptist Church as the closest to the motel, so I biked there at 9. Turned out to be so close, I could have walked.

The first person I met in the parking lot was Jim. He sort of showed me around as was my guide. He got me some ice water from the kitchen, and led me to the adult Sunday school.Alice and Neal sat next to me at Sunday school. Neal worked for the paper mill for 45 years. I told him that I smelled it when I first came into town, and he said that they now have lids to seal the boilers that can make the smell undetectable.

I met a lot of other people at church, including Randy who sat next to me, Tommy, who taught the adult class, Richard, Carolyn, Merle (Meryl?), and Beth. But as usual, very few pictures. After all, I wasn’t there as a photographer.

The pastor was Field Thigpen (rhymes with pigpen). He said that long ago, there were people in Britain that were very poor, who had to hold onto their money tightly. The name Thick Penny eventually became Thigpen. I also met his children Riley and J.T. briefly before service. Field told me that the town of Bogalusa was founded around the paper plant. He was also originally from Mississippi, where I should be tomorrow.

I didn’t mention that at the previous church I went to, someone tried to give me some money. And it happened again, three times, at this church. I don’t know if this is a Louisiana thing or what. They say that they just want to bless me, but I have to explain that I’m not fund raising, and have plenty of money. Prayer support is always welcome, but I have no need for cash. One person I was not able to deflect, so I told him I’d pass the funds through to the offering plate.

People at church also seemed to think that the local motel was somehow dirty or dangerous. All I can say is, I had no trouble at all. I did hear a popping noise for a few seconds the previous night, but think it might have just been someone doing early fireworks.

I walked out after church to see lunch options. It was hot, but not oppressively humid. I decided that it would be easiest to just get some deli items from the grocery store, rather than ride out to a restaurant. There’s always dinner for a restaurant.

I walked over to Western Sizzler (not associated with Sizzler steakhouse) for dinner. Got the buffet. Mostly, I ate vegetables, like turnip greens, green beans, and black-eyed peas. And salad. Just one piece of chicken.

Tomorrow, I should cross into Mississippi, and will likely camp near Perkinston. There are no motels within range.

If I read the map correctly, there are NO motels on the route in Mississippi at all. It’s looking like 2 days of camping. I hadn’t thought about a 4th of July event. I’ll probably be in the relatively small town of Vancleeve on Tuesday.